Add Ruffles To A Dance Skirt Or Dress

Supplies:

1. Skirt, Dress or Other Garment
2. Material for Ruffle, preferably
a stretchy material
3. Matching Thread
4. Measuring Tape
5. Pins
6. Scissors
7. Sewing Machine

Directions:

1. Choosing Your Materials

Choose the skirt, dress or other garment that you want to add a ruffle to.
Next, pick the material that you want to use for the ruffle. I have chosen to use a stretch mesh. Because the mesh is stretchy, I do not have to worry about the bias. But if you want to use a different type of fabric that does not stretch, you will want to cut the ruffles on the bias.

2. Cutting the ruffle

There are a couple of little tricks before you start that are important to know. First of all, I like to use a ruffle that is between 2 ½ to 3 times the width of the skirt to get a nice gathered or pleated effect. Just like you would use 2 ½ to 3 times the width of a window to get nice, full curtains. So, what I am doing is measuring the width of the skirt at the hemline and then multiply that width by 2 ½ or three times to determine the length of the ruffle. Depending on how wide your fabric is and how long the ruffle is, you may need two or more strips sewn together.

3. Pleating the Ruffle

There are two different looks that can be created with this ruffle. It can be a gathered ruffle or a can pleated ruffle. Once you have sewn the ruffle in half all the way down the length of it, you will either gather the ruffle or use pleats. I am going to show you the pleated version. Since the raw edges of the ruffle are sewn together, it is easy to grip and you do not have to worry about the ruffle being “off” or bubbling funny. Rather than pin each pleat in place, I just fold the ruffle into pleats as I go. I just pinch the ruffle and fold it under into a little pleat as I am sewing it to the hem of the skirt. That way I do not have to sit and pin them all, I can just “eyeball” it and evenly fold the pleats. I am going to just keep going along like that until I get to the end of the strip. Once I have completed this step, I can sew it to the hem of the skirt.

4. Sewing the Ruffle to the Skirt

If you prefer, you can actually create the pleats as you are sewing the ruffle to the skirt. Either way, I prefer to start sewing the ruffle to the skirt at the center back so that when the ruffle is sewn all the way around the hem, the ends will overlap in the back. I am actually going to leave the first few inches of the ruffle loose leaving enough to create more pleats when I get back to where I started. Then, when I come around to the back, I do not sew the last few inches of the ruffle to the skirt. Leaving enough ruffle material to make more pleats, I can the bring the two ends together and create a seam joining the two ends together. Make sure that you have left the appropriate amount of ruffle to continue the pleating process as you sew. Then sew the rest of the ruffle to the skirt with the appropriate ruffles.
To actually sew the ruffle to the skirt, place the edge of the ruffle on the outside of the skirt long the hem of the skirt with the raw edges of the ruffle and the hem of the skirt together and the folded edge of the ruffle pointed towards the waist. As mentioned above, leave the first few inches loose and do not sewn to the skirt. Keeping the bottom edge of the skirt even with the raw edge of the ruffle, sew the ruffle all the way around the bottom of the skirt making the pleats as described above. When you get to within a couple of inches of the spot where you started sewing the ruffle to the skirt, stop sewing it to the skirt so that you can sew the ends together. Then pin the two ends of the ruffle together so that it creates the look of a continuous ruffle. Sew the two ends together and then sew this portion of the ruffle to the skirt pleating as you go.
Cut away the excess material along the edge of the skirt. That is important because otherwise the ruffle will not want to flip over. But, you do not want to cut so much off that the stitches unravel.

5. Finish the Process

Last, just steam the skirt and the ruffle and you have a cute little ruffle. If you desire, you could top stitch along the hem of the skirt, but it is not be necessary.

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